Top Tips For Safe Audio Setup

This is a delicate balance between the best sound and the safest process for guests and for your equipment. Having a speaker stand capsize can be dangerous, and expensive to replace. Keep speaker stands out of traffic areas, both on stage and off.

Keep mic stands out of stage traffic, and run cords and wires toward the front of the stage to keep them out of the way of performers.

Make sure you have a mixer zone, where you can work freely and not be interfered with. If there is no designated sound area, you will need to create one.

Dress your wires.

Secure wires for speakers, lights and microphones to their stands.

Bundle multiple wires running in and out of equipment to make a single wire bundle.

Secure wires to inputs with tape or ties.

Avoid running wires through traffic areas if possible.

When you do need to run wires in traffic areas, invest in carpet runners with rubber backs to cover wires safely. This is good safety for your wires and equipment, and the guests at your event.

Gaffer tape is your friend.

Wires, cords and other lines in and out of the mixer and speakers should be secure.

Run wires along baseboards where possible.

Tape lines down using gaffer’s tape. Duct tape sounds like a good idea, but it leaves a residue on carpets and walls. Gaffer’s tape is safe for use anywhere without leaving residue behind.

Run a piece of tape lengthwise down your cable. Keeping your cable centered press hard on both sides of the tape until the cable is secure. Tip: This is also good for an easy tear down after your event. Putting your foot on your cable, pull up on the tape, and it will come up in essentially one long strip for you. You’ll have a nice tape ball when you’re done!

It’s amazing how easily wires can work their way away from where you’ve laid them, so don’t be afraid of tape. It takes time to secure cords and wires, but that time is well spent. If you’re still not sure how to do this safely, consider a class at a sound engineering school.

Keep the power coming.

Be sure to tape all of your cords to the outlets you are using. A careless guest can easily dislodge your power cord by accident, shutting down the show, and no matter how much you invested in your DJ training you won’t get to show your skills.

Secure both the plug, and the power cord using the method described above.

Secure the input ends as well, and dress all power cords into your mixer by using ties, tape, or velcro. Neat and tidy cords are also efficient and safe.